Cincinnati Bengals risk wasting Joe Burrow's prime amid Trey Hendrickson contract standoff
The Cincinnati Bengals face a growing dilemma as star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson remains without a new contract. Despite attending practices and mentoring rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart, Hendrickson isn't participating in team drills.
With the season fast approaching, his absence from full action could prove costly for a team built to contend for a Super Bowl.
Trey Hendrickson's contract dispute threatens Cincinnati
Bengals
' defense
Hendrickson has been one of the NFL's most dominant edge rushers over the past two seasons, racking up an impressive 17.5 sacks in each campaign. On the open market, his production would command well over $30 million annually, nearly double the $16 million he's set to earn this year. He's still under contract, leaving him to either wait out the Bengals or force a trade.
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick didn't hold back on Get Up, criticizing Cincinnati's front office for letting the standoff linger. He warned that failing to secure key players like Hendrickson 'contributes to wasting the prime of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow' and puts the Bengals at risk of falling behind elite NFL contenders.
Joe Burrow Disappointed With Bengals Offense, Discusses Trey Hendrickson & Shemar Stewart Holdouts
Cincinnati must fix Hendrickson dispute to protect
Joe Burrow
's prime and title hopes
Burrow, already established as one of the league's best quarterbacks, has elite weapons in Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and promising running back Chase Brown.
However, the defense's inconsistency last season, even with Hendrickson on the field, was a major factor in Cincinnati missing the playoffs.
Without Hendrickson disrupting opposing quarterbacks, the Bengals' defense could become a glaring weakness once again. His ability to collapse pockets and generate game-changing plays is crucial to keeping Cincinnati in the conversation for the Super Bowl.
With Joe Burrow, the Bengals have a rare franchise quarterback who can keep them in the Super Bowl hunt.
But in the NFL, a quarterback's prime doesn't last forever, and championship windows close quickly. If Trey Hendrickson's contract standoff drags on, defensive weaknesses could once again derail Cincinnati's elite offensive potential.
Also Read:
Andy Reid's honest confession about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce as 'The Life of a Showgirl' album becomes NFL talking point
Cincinnati must act decisively, whether that means extending Hendrickson's deal or finding a fair trade; they cannot afford to let this standoff derail their season. With Week 1 looming, every day without a resolution is a step closer to wasting the best years of Joe Burrow's career.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
George Russell on his father's tough approach during his early days: 'I always felt I wasn't good enough for him'
George Russell's family (Image credit: Instagram) Formula 1 fans know how tough reigning champion Max Verstappen's father was in pushing him to the top. Now, George Russell has opened up about his own father's strict approach, which often left him feeling he was never good enough. The Mercedes driver revealed it took him five years to realise he was actually faster than he thought — a deliberate tactic by his father to keep him humble. George Russell on his father's training tactics George Russell is currently in fourth position in the Formula 1 Driver Standings with one win and five more podiums. Opening up about his growing-up years with F1 as his aim, Russell told Motorsport in an interview, "I always felt that I wasn't good enough for my father. When I used to do go-karting, at the time, there was no real data analysis. We didn't even have lap times on practice days. It was literally my father with a stopwatch. And I learned after about five years that he would always time me late, so my lap times looked slower than reality. He would tell me the lap times of the other drivers on practice days, and I always thought I was slow.' 'Then I got to the races and I was qualifying on pole and winning races, and I was so confused as a kid. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Earn Upto 5k Daily By This Method of Intraday Trading TradeWise Learn More Undo I'd think, 'I'm always slow on these practice days, but then I get to the races and I win. Why is that?' I realised over time that he would always do that just so I didn't get too full of myself or overly confident, and that was such an amazing, important lesson for me," he added. Russell also revealed how he would see his dad only during weekends due to his work shifts and would be upset about why he was always screaming and shouting at him during his racing practice. 'As a young kid, I was thinking, 'I don't see my father, and when I do see him, he's upset with me and I feel like I'm letting him down.' That was really tough,' he said. Confirming that he eventually realised his father's mindset and hard work behind his racing career, he said, "I can only imagine the pressure and stress he must have been under himself. Ultimately, those years from the age of seven to 13 shaped me as a person, and I have him to thank for that." George Russell enjoying his summer break George Russell is currently holidaying with girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt on his luxury yacht in Sardinia. They have been posting mesmerising pictures from their vacation on Instagram, including Russell's much-talked-about shirtless pictures. Also Read: George Russell is missing racing but enjoying holidays with girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt as fans ask, 'Why is everyone in Sardinia?' He will return for the second half of the current F1 season, which resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix in the Netherlands from August 29 to 31. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Aiden Markram to continue opening for South Africa to fit in more power-hitters
Aiden Markram (Getty Images) South Africa captain Aiden Markram confirmed he will continue opening in the T20I team to accommodate more middle-order batters. With the three-match series against Australia tied 1-1, the decider will be played in Cairns on Saturday. Markram enjoyed a strong IPL 2025 as an opener for Lucknow Super Giants, scoring five half-centuries in 13 innings at a strike rate of 148.82. However, he has not crossed fifty in T20Is since October 2022. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "Going through our squads and the players that we've got around, we think probably that (opening) is the best fit. We've got some guys in the middle order that are a lot more destructive than I am, and we feel probably it's better off for me and Ricks ( Ryan Rickelton ) to be up top.' 'I did it a bit at the IPL and am starting to do it now again at international cricket. It's an exciting role. It's always nice to bat in the powerplay, and the focus is to get the team off to good starts," Markram told reporters on Friday. His opening stands with Rickelton in the series have been 12 and 34. While number three Lhuan-dre Pretorius is yet to find form, Dewald Brevis provided a boost with an unbeaten 125 in the second T20I. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Markram also provides an off-spin option and has occasionally taken the new ball, including dismissing Travis Head in the second match in Darwin. "It's very much a feel thing. It's quite a daunting task. You just see the ball flying nowadays, and I'm not so sure I really want to be a bowler. "But there'll be occasions where you feel like the wicket might be on the slower side or might offer something, and you sort of take that punt. The way I try to operate is just go on my gut feel, whatever my gut's telling me in the moment, run with that and back that and reflect on what could have been and what should have been possibly after the game," he said. With South Africa having won only one of their last nine bilateral T20I series, including losing the tri-series final to New Zealand, Markram is eager to turn the tide. "It feels like we are moving in the right direction. The series so far has been good. The bowlers have been pretty good for us. 'The previous game made our batters look good, but it was very much an individual performance (Brevis hit an unbeaten 125). So a nice challenge for our batters tomorrow to hopefully click and for them to put on a good score." Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Patrick Mahomes' sweetest win started in high school — thanks to his mom Randi and a Valentine's Day card
How Patrick Mahomes' mom Randi helped him spark his love story with Brittany (Image credits: IG/X) Before Patrick Mahomes became a two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most recognizable faces in the NFL , he was just a Texas high schooler trying to win over a girl who saw him only as a friend. That changed one Valentine's Day when Mahomes, with a little nudge from his mother Randi, made a small gesture that would alter the course of his life. The high school Valentine's surprise that turned friendship into first love In 2012, Mahomes was a sophomore at Whitehouse High School, known for his athletic talent but not for bold romantic moves. Brittany Matthews, a year older, considered him a friend — until one February lunch in the school cafeteria. Mahomes appeared with a single rose and a folded card, a gesture that caught her completely off guard. 'He did this little, cute thing for Valentine's Day one day at lunch in high school,' Brittany later recalled. 'He brought me a rose and a card.' Randi Mahomes ' quiet hand in her son's first romantic 'play' That moment wasn't entirely Patrick's idea. 'My mom had given me a card to give to somebody,' he admitted. 'I was like, I'm gonna give it to Brittany, I'm gonna surprise her at lunch.' That decision, simple yet heartfelt, cracked the 'friend zone' open. From that day, their conversations grew longer, their bond stronger — the cafeteria gift marking the unofficial start of a relationship that would endure far more than teenage hallways. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Harry Potter Actors Who Grew Up Stunningly. The Noodle Box Read More Undo From one rose to a family of five — A journey through NFL glory The Valentine's Day gesture proved to be the first chapter in a love story that would span more than a decade. They navigated long-distance during college, Brittany's professional soccer career in Iceland, and Mahomes' meteoric NFL rise. By 2020, he had proposed. Two years later, they married in Hawaii and now share three children, balancing family life with the demands of NFL stardom. Through it all, they've carried the memory of that one simple act — a rose, a card, and a mother's gentle encouragement — that changed everything. Also read: 'Pretty crazy, huh?': Jared Goff's phone 'explodes' after Taylor Swift's viral name-drop on New Heights podcast Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
